Overlord Premise Chapter 8 (Patreon)

Hey friends and fans! Kairomaru is bringing you a new chapter! Clementine isn’t having a good time at Nazarick with her multi-fold punishment. But if she makes it through, she’ll be better off than she was before. Outside of Nazarick, Shalltear, Sebas, and Solution continue their assignments from Lord Momonga. While they start with the same assignment, there are very different end goals for them. Momon and Nabe have their Rank Up as Adventurers to receive as well. But the world is constantly moving and no one can predict every variable.

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Chapter 8 – Assignments and Coincidences

It was evening in E-Rantel and the sun was setting in the western sky.

In the best inn in the fortress city, the ‘Shining Golden Pavilion’, dinner was being served. There were freshly-baked loaves of bread, still steaming in their baskets. Plates were laden with thick, rare cuts of juicy red meat, served with sweetcorn and buttered mashed potatoes. The sight alone could stimulate the appetite. The fresh vegetables which made up the salad were still crisp and soft, and their fragrant dressing filled the room with a citrus scent.

The Shining Golden Pavilion used [Preservation] Magic to keep their ingredients fresh. Naturally, only the finest of chefs were allowed to turn said ingredients into meals. Only royalty, nobles, or very wealthy merchants could hope to dine here. No one could find any fault with their delicious food…normally.

“What kind of food is this!?” A shrill, nigh-hysterical voice cut through the air, and then the sound of crashing cutlery echoed through the dining room.

Several people turned to look at the young woman who was kicking up a fuss.

The woman was so beautiful that using the word to describe her seemed inadequate. Her looks could rival those of the Kingdom’s most beautiful woman (the princess with the appellation of ‘Golden’) and her anger only seemed to add to her charm. In addition to her stunning looks, every move she made was elegant and refined, even while throwing a tantrum.

She must have been nobility in some country, the heiress to a highborn family. She flicked at her long French curls in annoyance, and glared at the food before her in dissatisfaction.

It was only natural to feel shocked by her complaint, but beyond that, the people who heard her also felt curious about what she normally ate.

“It tastes horrible!” The words she uttered after that were singularly inappropriate for this place, and they left everyone in the room speechless.

However, the old butler behind the girl kept his expression neutral and did not change his stance, even when the girl turned and glared at him, he remained unmoved, as though he could not make any other facial expressions.

“Ahhhh, I can’t bear to stay in this run-down city any further! We’re setting out now!”

“But my Lady, it’s already evening…” The butler spoke.

“Silence! I said we’re going, so we’re going, do you understand me!?” The woman demanded, anger marring her beautiful features.

Only after hearing the woman’s childish tantrum did the butler’s posture change. He lowered his head and replied. “Understood, my Lady. I shall begin travel preparations immediately.”

“Hmph! If you understand, then hurry up and get ready, Sebas!” The woman tossed away the fork she was holding and rose to her feet, before flouncing out of the dining room, still fuming as she did so.

After the storm had passed, a solemn, dignified voice lightened the heavy mood in the room. “I apologize to everyone for the disturbance.” The butler picked up the chair which the girl had knocked over and replaced it, then bowed deeply to everyone in the dining room as a sign of contrition. Quite a few of them accepted the old man’s immaculate apology with pitying eyes. “…Innkeeper.”

“Yes.” A man who had been waiting in the wings approached the butler at his call.

“Once again, I apologize for startling everyone. Though I know it will not excuse this offense, I hope you will allow me to pay for the meals of everyone here.”

Looks of delight bloomed on the faces of several of the diners as they heard those words. A meal in a first-rate inn like this would certainly not be cheap. If this old man was willing to pay for their food, that would be a good enough reason to forgive that young Lady’s outburst.

On the other hand, the innkeeper’s face remained impassive as he bowed politely in response to the butler’s proposal. That natural reaction of his was proof that scenes like this had been seen many times, ever since this pair of master and servant had taken up lodgings at the Shining Golden Pavilion.

Sebas looked toward a corner of the dining hall, at a destitute-looking man shoveling food into his mouth. As the man noticed Sebas’s eyes on him, he rose to his feet and quickly walked towards Sebas.

Compared to the other guests, the man seemed completely out of place. He lacked both style and class, and so he stood out from everyone around him. Although his clothes were no shabbier than those of the people nearby, they did not go well on him. It was obvious that he was not of the same ‘class’ as the other patrons of the Shining Golden Pavilion, no matter how he tried to dress like them.

“Master Sebas.” The man spoke up, nervously scratching at the back of his head.

“What is it, Mr. Zach?” Sebas questioned the man that they’d hired, pretending not to notice the man’s distrustful nature.

The other guests frowned as they heard the smarmy tones in which Zach spoke. The way he wrung his hands went very well with the way he was toadying up to Sebas.

However, Sebas’s expression remained unchanged.

“It may be bold of me to say this as a hired hand…” Zach held up his hands in front of him, as if to ward off any reprisal. “…I think it might be best to reconsider leaving at this hour.”

Sebas didn’t move nor change his expression. “Is it because the carriage would be hard to drive at night?”

“That, and I’d have to prepare for our departure.” Zach nodded to the old man.

“Given the young Lady’s disposition, we have no choice but to depart. Please make the necessary preparations.” Sebas instructed calmly and professionally, as expected of a butler.

Zach hung his head slightly. “Yes, sir.” He turned and quickly headed outside to ready the carriage…or that was what any eavesdroppers would think.

“It must be quite hard on you to have to set out at this time.” A man spoke up as he approached Sebas.

The person addressing the butler was a clean-shaven man in his late forties. His black hair was streaked with white, and due to age, along with heavy meals, his pot belly was soft and rounded. He was tastefully-dressed, in clothes that both reflected his high station and his sense of style.

This man was a merchant by the name of Bardo Lauffray, he controlled most of the grade trade within E-Rantel. Someone that Sebas had been speaking with occasionally, as part of his secondary orders from Lord Momonga, during his and Solution’s stay here at the Shining Golden Pavilion.

“Mr. Bardo.” Sebas made to bow slightly.

Bardo extended a hand to stop him. “Ah, no, no, there’s no need for such formality.” He chuckled lightly. Bardo eyed the door that Zach had left through for a second before looking back at Sebas. “Shall I introduce you to some trustworthy guards? The highway at night might be dangerous with that unsavory character along.” He could tell that Zach wasn’t a good sort of man. In his line of work he’d seen plenty of men like that. It was a skill any merchant had to develop if they wanted to be successful.

“The young Lady isn’t fond of keeping a large entourage. My apologies for being unable to accept your kind offer.” Sebas apologized with a curt half-bow.

“N-No, no, there’s no need for apology.” Bardo shook his head. “Frankly, I’m eager to do your Master a favor. He must be a successful merchant, right?” He smiled at the butler. “Next time that you’re in town, come and see me. My door will be open.” He offered kindly, but with the knowledge that he was reaching out to a new, and most likely incredibly wealthy, business partner.

“I thank you for your kind attention. That alone is more than enough.” Sebas thanked Bardo with a polite nod. Would it have not ruined his current role he’d have smiled slightly at making his first wealthy and influential connection for Lord Momonga. That had been his secondary task to accomplish while he and Solution were outside of Nazarick.

Sebas left the dining area and headed upstairs toward Solution’s room at the Shining Golden Pavilion. He knocked politely, as was expected of a butler. “Pardon me.” He opened the door and entered the room, closing it behind him after subtly checking for any potential watchers.

“Please excuse my earlier outburst, Master Sebas.” Solution bowed at the waist to Sebas, her right hand over her chest.

“There’s no need to apologize, Solution. You were just playing your part.” Sebas pardoned his subordinate. He took a few steps and picked up a suitcase to continue acting out his role once they left the room. “I’m sure that Lady Shalltear is sick to death of waiting in the carriage. I’ll go inform her that we’ll be leaving once preparations are done.” Sebas looked at Solution, his expression changing just slightly. “By the way, that fellow, Zach. Is he working out?”

Solution placed her left hand over her left eye (which had remained closed this entire time) with a grin. “Yes. He’s working out quite nicely.”

-Zach-

He ran through the alleyways away from the Shining Golden Pavilion. He needed to inform the others of the sudden change in plans. Curse that spoiled sow, that he had to serve for this plan! Arbitrarily changing her mind on a whim whenever she pleased!

‘It’s been a rotten life.’ Zach thought to himself as he ran. His entire life had bene one of loss. When he’d been a boy, the son of poor farmers, his sister, Lilia, the only person he’d cared about, had been sold into slavery so that the rest of them could survive. Once he’d grown up a bit more, he’d been conscripted into his first war at the order of the lord of the land his family lived on. He’d barely survived that first campaign. Then he’d been conscripted twice more, nearly dying each time. He’d fled the battlefield the third time, letting everyone think he’d died and was lost among the bodies strewn over the battlefield.

Three orphaned beggar children emerged from the shadows and refuse littering the alley, holding out their dirty hands for whatever scraps they could get.

“Move! You’re in my way!” Zach barked at the orphans, rushing past them without slowing down. ‘You all can drop dead! I’m finally moving up in life!’ He’d become part of the mercenary group ‘Death Spreading Brigade’, a group of mercenaries made up of mostly soldiers that had deserted their forced conscription, and even a few bandits and common thugs. In wartime they operated as mercenaries, but in peace time, they were little more than bandits, robbing, raping, and ransoming targets along the road near their hidden base. ‘From now on, I’ll be the one doing the taking!’ Zach thought as he stopped before a door and knocked on it in a specific rhythm.

The slot on the door opened and narrowed eyes looked at Zach. “Oh, it’s you… In ya get!” The door was opened and Zach entered the building quickly as the large thuggish man closed the door behind him quickly.

There was a faint scent of rot coming from within the room, which was as far removed from the place Zach had been as the heavens were from the earth. Hoping that his nose could get used to the smell, Zach approached the only table in the room. There was a candle on the table, whose feeble light somewhat dispelled the darkness of the room.

A filthy man who looked like he dealt in violence for a living pulled up a nearby chair and took a seat. The chair creaked as he sat on it, as though moaning in pain. The man was heavily muscled and had a barrel chest, and the exposed parts of his arms and his face were lightly scarred. The chair looked like it was going to give way under his weight.

“Oh, Zach. What’s wrong, what happened?” The large man questioned as he took a piece of meat from the plate in front of him and bit off a piece.

“There’s been a change in the situation… The prey is preparing to move.” Zach answered promptly.

“Ah… So we’ll have to make our move as well.” The mercenary (Zach’s superior in the Death Spreading Brigade) muttered out.

Zach nodded silently while his superior quietly grumbled.

“Why now? Can’t they think of us a little?” The scruffy man questioned as he reached up to scratch his messy hair. “Can’t you delay them somehow?”

“That’ll be difficult, because it was that woman’s request.” Zach shook his head, having already tried to delay with Sebas.

The scarred man had already heard Zach talk about that woman several times, and he frowned deeply. “That old man should use his brains a little and try to talk her down. The roads at night are nasty places to be, with scary bandits showing up and all. Give me a break… Even an idiot knows about that sort of thing.” The man grumbled out. It would be no good if their prey got taken by common bandits on the dark road before they could ambush them. “Ah, how about sabotaging a coach wheel and dragging out the departure until tomorrow?”

“That won’t work. He’s already loading the luggage. It would be better to act quickly, right?” Zach suggested, knowing that Sebas wouldn’t make the young Lady wait.

“Mm, that’s true…” The man stared into the air as he thought. “Then, when are they moving out?”

Zach estimated how long it would take to load the Lady’s various luggage and prep the carriage for night travel. “In about two hours, I’d say.”

“Fine. I’ll contact the boss.” The burly mercenary grunted out. “Make sure to lead them to the normal spot outside of E-Rantel.”

“Right.” Zach agreed. He opened his mouth again, but nothing came out. Steeling his nerves, and knowing that he was the lowest member of the Death Spreading Brigade, he managed to utter out his request. “…can I have some fun with the Lady?”

“Huh?” The scruffy mercenary looked at Zach for a moment. “Sure, but you’ll have to wait until I’m done.” A dark grin crossed the large man’s face. “But she’s an important hostage. You can’t be too rough with her. We’re gonna ransom her off later.”

-Solution and Sebas-

“Right now he’s speaking with an unscrupulous man… Plotting to ambush us outside the city and use me for all manner of unspeakable things.” Solution almost giggled at what the piece of her that was following Zach was hearing and seeing.

“Just as expected.” Sebas gave Solution a small smile. “Everything should go exactly as Lord Ainz desires.”

“Master Sebas…” Solution spoke up with a polite smile. “If it’s not too much to ask, may I have that human when he is no longer useful?”

Sebas considered Solution’s request for a moment. “We’d have to ask Lady Shalltear, but I don’t see a single human being an issue.”

“Please, ask her for me.” Solution requested with a bow.

“Is there some reason that you’re interested in him?” Sebas couldn’t help but wonder why Solution wanted Zach.

Solution’s grin widened, becoming something that no human face could possibly mimic. A dark, soulless look fell over Solution’s blue eyes as she quietly giggled with dark intentions. “He wishes to have a piece of me… So, I thought I’d let him have a touch…before I have him experience hell!”

-Nazarick ~ Colosseum-

“FUUUUCCCCKKKK!!!” Clementine wailed out a curse as she hit the ground harshly, agony coursing through her body. She quickly scrambled back to her feet while using a Martial Art that she had been getting a lot of practice with ever since she’d been placed in the Colosseum. “[Dull Pain].” With the agony muted to a dull ache throughout her body, she grabbed her last two stilettos and prepared to take on the monstrosity in front of her again.

Full plate armor, much like a knight, but with large black wings emerging form the back. It was clearly a demon, even if one wasn’t familiar with them. The baleful red eyes locked onto Clementine were filled with malice. In its hands was a bastard sword wreathed in black hellfire. That sword was the cause of Clementine’s agony, the black hellfire having nearly swallowed her whole when she’d first clashed with the War Devil, as Lord Mare had called it.

“Wouldn’t expect anything less from one of Lord Ainz’s summons.” Clementine nearly managed a smirk at the advancing demon.

Her ‘test’ today had pitted her against the War Devil and a group of Inferior Demons (once again, according to Lord Mare). The War Devil had commander attributes and all of the Inferior Devils fell under its command before they attacked her in a wild, but strategic, manner. She’d not had too many problems with the warped and misshapen bodies of the Inferior Devils, though the yellow pus that oozed from their bodies was disgusting. At best, they might’ve been a third of her strength, each. But after the last Inferior Devil had been killed, the War Devil had attacked. Clementine had tried to use her [Impenetrable Fortress] Martial Art to block, only for the black hellfire wreathed around the bastard sword to explode into a wave that engulfed her. The War Devil hadn’t given her any reprieve since then, attacking her with skill, precision, and ferocity until she was burned, beaten, and broken.

‘Fuck… Two of my ribs are cracked, the lowest left rib is fractured, and the rest are bruised.’ Clementine assessed her current internal injuries as the War Devil came at her. The damn thing had some intelligence, as it approached her with measured steps, having been the victim of her high-speed lunge attack once before. “Not that it really hurt you, huh, you bastard.” Clementine growled at the War Devil.

Much like the Dragonkin, this thing was clearly superior to her in strength and defense, and its skill with its sword was nothing to scoff at either.

“[Stride of Wind]! [Ability Boost]! [Greater Ability Boost]! [Physical Boost]! [Brief Seal]!” Clementine prepared her attack…knowing that it would be her last with her current condition. Her body glowed in various colors as the Martial Arts enhanced her body. She managed to get into a modified version of her unique crouching style, but kept herself armed with both stilettos.

The War Devil stopped just at the very edge of her range. It held its burning bastard sword at the ready, raised for a helm splitter that would easily cut Clementine in two and burn both halves to ashes if it hit her. It had plenty of time to react and counter her near-instant lunging strike.

“Clever bastard…” Clementine nearly snarked, but the dull ache that was slowly getting worse, despite her [Dull Pain] Martial Art, wouldn’t let her. Instead, she slowly began to edge forward, closing the distance until the War Devil was in range of her strike.

The War Devil flapped its large wings and shot forward to attack just as fast as Clementine’s fastest strike could let her move. It had baited her into approaching in her awkward position, leaving her a half-second slower on the attack.

“[Focus Battle Aura]! [Twin Piercing Strike]! [Grand Power Strike]!” Clementine broke her limits, stacking nine Martial Arts on her body all at once, even if two of them were instant Martial Arts that would fade the instant her attack connected or missed.

CRACK

CRACK

“Oh…!” Mare’s heterochromatic eyes widened as he saw the result of the clash between the War Devil and Lord Momonga’s test subject. He was glad that he was recording this to show Lord Momonga later! He might even get praised again!

Clementine’s right stiletto had punched through the War Devil’s plate armor, straight through the demon’s left forearm, making its strike go wide and causing its grip to loosen on its weapon. The hellfire-clad bastard sword clattered to the ground a couple of meters behind Clementine.

“Got you~” Clementine’s voice was meant to be cutesy, put dripped with sadism as she pushed the left stiletto a little deeper into the right eye of the War Devil. Her precision with piercing weapons was nearly unmatched within the Black Scripture. The eye slots in the demon’s visor were easy enough to target for her to land a critical strike.

“Nnnnrrrrggghhh!” The War Devil’s remaining red eye seemed to burn with fury and hatred. It’s gauntlet-clad fist slammed into the weakened, injured, and exhausted Clemetine, sending her rocketing through the air.

“Gah!” Clementine hacked out blood from the powerful blow. “Guh!” She did so again when she hit the ground, bouncing off the dirt and then skipping along the arena floor like a stone over water. She bounced thrice more before landing in a heap.

The War Devil ripped the stiletto out of its eye and threw it aside. With a powerful flap of its wings it flew at Clementine, ready to finish her off.

Mare, seeing that Clementine was near death, and having gotten new information for Lord Momonga regarding the Martial Arts of this world, made the call. “Stop, War Devil!”

The War Devil’s feet hit the ground, tearing trenches through the dirt from its great speed. It came to a stop a few meters from Clementine’s unresponsive body and didn’t move.

“Return.” Mare ordered the summon. It didn’t have much time left before it vanished anyway.

The War Devil turned away from Clementine and picked up its bastard sword along the way. It walked back to the point it had been summoned from and stood there, it wouldn’t move until given new orders or until it naturally vanished.

Pestonya looked over to Mare for a moment before speaking. “Lord Mare, should I begin healing her?”

“Huh?” Mare, still happy about the new information that he’d get to present to Lord Momonga, blinked and looked over to Pestonya. “Oh, yes, of course.” He blushed fiercely at forgetting to give the order to heal the test subject. “Return her to her cell again, please.”

“As you command, Lord Mare.” Pestonya bowed before jumping down to the arena floor.

-Clementine’s Cell ~ Later-

“Huh?” Clementine opened her eyes, her memory just as hazy as her vision. A moment later and her sight cleared up. She sat up in her bed and looked around her cell. Her memories returned a few seconds later and she grimaced at the pain and agony she’d suffered as phantom pain passed through her form briefly. “Fuck…” She still remembered the smell of her skin and hair burning from the black hellfire, the sheer excruciating pain of her flesh being blackened by the dark flames.

She pulled the blanket aside and gingerly set her bare feet on the cool stone floor with a slight grimace. For all her infamous strength, and all the fear she conjured in others that knew of her, within Nazarick she’d been confronted with the simple truth of what strength, real strength, looked like. And she wasn’t even close. She could barely injure any of the ‘actual’ combatants that she was pitted against, let alone win a single fight. The creatures that most Adventurers would consider difficult to deal with, the denizens of Nazarick considered trash. They were merely tools to be summoned in whatever quantity they needed and discarded as easily as any other garbage.

It was truly a worldview-shattering experience.

Almost everyone that she’d ever considered strong was a complete joke in the eyes of Nazarick’s most powerful. Even Lord Mare, the shy and socially awkward, crossdressing Dark Elf boy, could probably wipe out entire armies if he put his mind to it.

“I suppose there is a small silver lining.” Clementine looked at her hands and then clenched them into fists in front of her. “I broke through my limits. I was able to use nine Martial Arts at the same time.” She grinned at pushing past the limit of eight that she’d been stuck at for quite a while. “I’m getting stronger, even if I’m suffering every day. I managed to land a good blow on that demon bastard today!” Clementine let out a dark chuckle as her mind slowly processed the horror and pain she suffered along with the improvement that had come along with it. It was all that she could do to not break mentally and lose herself. ‘Accept reality… Don’t delude yourself. Shit happens and you have to deal with it.’ She made sure to go over the entire battle in her head, detail by agonizing detail.

It was as Clementine was going through her daily introspection and reflection (almost like meditating in a sense) that a smell caught her nose along with the faint, but familiar, footsteps approaching her door.

“Your dinner is ready… Woof.” Pestonya spoke through the small barred window of her cell door. The hinged slot on the bottom was opened and a tray with her dinner on it was slid through.

“Thanks.” Clementine stood up from the bed and retrieved her dinner. Pestonya walked away as Clementine walked across her cell to set her tray on the small wooden table near the bath tub. Dinner this evening was a meat that smelled and looked like pork, but didn’t have quite the same texture. It was paired with vegetables, miso soup (which she’d only learned the name of after asking Pestonya), and some potatoes. Her drink would be water from the light blue jug of infinite water that was on the table (as always). Her dessert (something that she was still surprised to receive since her first dinner here) was some kind of pastry that she’d never seen before.

Clementine dug in eagerly, her stomach growling after another harsh and painful day of her punishment. Everything always tasted great, and she always felt less like a prisoner and more like a guest at a nice inn when she was left to her own devices in her cell. After finishing off her dinner, the pastry having been filled with sweet cream of all things, Clementine decided to take a bath.

“Still can’t believe I get three meals a day, free time, and can bathe with hot water, daily.” Clementine mused as she tilted the light red jug of infinite water over the edge of the tub. The water let off faint wisps of steam as it started to fill up the tub while Clementine pulled off her simple woolen nightgown.

She ran her hands over her naked body, still amazed at the level of Healing Magic that Pestonya possessed. The dog-headed woman had somehow healed her perfectly after every single ‘test’ that she’d gone through, so far. She’d lost her left arm on the first day, only to not just have it restored, but to not even have a faint scar where it had been brutally severed. Her horrid burns from today that should’ve left her disfigured for life? Gone without a trace. The time she’d had one of her legs flayed into bloody chunks flying through the air? Her left leg was perfectly fine, like it had never happened.

“Still don’t want to remember the rot.” Clementine let a brief shudder pass through her body. That horrid abomination of a demon, with its tar-like, bubbling skin, stood at least two meters tall, and every bubble that burst on its skin released a rot-inducing yellow mist. She still recalled seeing her skin and muscle starting to decay right before her eyes. Clementine had been able to kill that Rotting Demon herself, though she’d lost consciousness shortly afterward, not even able to enjoy her victory as everything within her, from her blood, to her organs, and even her bones, felt like it was being turned to rotten mush.

When the tub was nearly full, Clementine set the light red jug straight up again. With a pleased sigh, she slipped into the warm water and relaxed, just letting the pain and stress of the day be soothed away. As her mind wandered during her soak, her hands drifted across her skin beneath the water. The image of Ainz’s face appeared in her mind and her left hand moved to cup one of her tits, gently stroking the nipple. The God that she’d pledged her life to was starting to appear in her thoughts more often nowadays. She’d even dreamed about him once or twice now, though she didn’t remember the context of the dreams themselves. Her right hand slid down her trim and toned stomach before settling on her mound, which she began to gently tease and stroke with her fingers. Clementine bit her lip lightly as she let her mind fantasize, giving herself pleasure that she certainly wasn’t going to receive in Nazarick.

‘I can still fantasize at least.’ Clementine thought to herself as she pictured the handsome face of Ainz as her hands continued to tease her body.

Her bath was noticeably longer this evening than others.

When she finally left the tub, stress thoroughly relieved for a little while at least, she wrapped the large towel around her body and the smaller one was used to dry her hair. The fact that the towels and the nightgown that she was given to wear were cleaned and replaced everyday was still an oddity that Clementine was surprised by. Not that she didn’t appreciate it. But aside from her brutal suffering everyday in the arena, this imprisonment was very comfortable.

“What did Pestonya leave me this time?” Clementine wondered as she slipped the woolen nightgown back on. Under the pillow of her bed was a book. As Clementine had been compliant with the tests, even though she knew that she would suffer, Ainz had permitted Pestonya to give Clementine something to read, so that the woman had something to do between tests. “I wonder what this one is about?” She picked up the simple book, noting that it was clearly newly made, just by its feel alone. It wouldn’t surprise her in the slightest if Nazarick could make their own books. “The Hobbit?” Clementine blinked at the title of the book. “The fuck is a hobbit?”

Still, she opened the book and began to read, not having anything better to do while she waited for sleep to take her later tonight.

-Road outside of E-Rantel ~ Night-

A carriage slowly disappeared into the night as the horses pulling it galloped away from the fortress city.

It was a large vehicle that could comfortably seat six people, pulled by a quartet of horses.

The full moon shone in the night sky, illuminating the land with surprising brightness. That said, racing at full speed through the night was still a foolish course of action. The wisest course of action would have been to pitch tents, light lanterns, and post sentries while they spent the night here.

The world at night was not under mankind’s control. To be fair, no place without light could be considered part of humanity’s world. The night concealed all manner of animals, demi-humans, and monsters. Many creatures possessed the gift of Dark Vision, and these creatures often attacked humanity.

Still, the passengers in the stagecoach barely felt their vehicle galloping through the perilous night, despite the supposed danger.

“You’re sure that our prey took the bait?” Shalltear asked Sebas and Solution as she filed her nails with an amused little grin on her lips. Sitting on her right and left were two of her Vampire Brides. They were her subordinates as well as ‘concubines’ when she was feeling frisky. As her blessed creator, Lord Peroroncino, had made her rather similar to himself, Shalltear also had a high libido, many different fetishes, and was also bisexual.

“Yes, wonderfully, Lady Shalltear.” Sebas said politely to his superior. “Just as Lord Ainz has instructed, they’re criminals whose disappearance won’t be an issue.”

Shalltear looked up from her task, her deep red eyes showing a modicum of happiness. “It’s about time.” She’d been waiting in this carriage for far too long already. “With any luck, we’ll find a skilled user of Martial Arts or Magic that suits Lord Ainz’s criteria, so that we may return to him soon.” She couldn’t let Albedo get ahead of her in winning her beloved Lord Momonga’s heart, after all.

“If I may, Lady Shalltear, there’s something that I’ve been wanting to ask you for some time.” Sebas requested of the Floor Guardian.

“Hm? Me? What is it?” Shalltear couldn’t imagine what Sebas might want to ask her.

“It’s quite apparent that you and Lady Aura do not get along well.” Sebas spoke after a second to gather his thoughts. “I was wondering if there was a special reason for that?”

Shalltear grinned at the Head Butler, amusement dancing in her blood red eyes. “I always thought we got along fine.” She waved her nail file side to side. “There’s no bad blood between us, I simply tease her arbitrarily because my creator, Lord Peroroncino, decided that I should.” An amused smile crossed Shalltear’s lips. “You see, our boyish elf’s creator, Lady Bukubukuchagama, is the sister of Lord Peroroncino.”

Sebas sat up straight in surprise. “I never knew about this.”

“Yes.” Shalltear giggled lightly. “In a way, we’re practically sisters.” Both Solution and Sebas looked almost amazed to learn this new information about the Supreme Beings. “From what I understand, Lady Bukubukuchagama engages in a trade known as ‘Voice Acting’ and is quite popular.”

“Voice acting… If I recall, it involves a lot of talking?” Sebas tried to remember what he’d overheard from the Supreme Beings.

“No.” Shalltear shook her head once. “What I heard from Lady Bukubukuchagama is that it involves using one’s voice to give something a soul. In other words, her job is to give soul to the soulless and create life, just as any God should.”

“I see,” Sebas looked like he understood. “Thank you for sharing all of this with us, Lady Shalltear. You honor us both.”

Solution bowed from her seat next to Sebas. “Learning more about the Supreme Beings is truly humbling. Especially from you, my Lady.”

“Never you mind.” Shalltear smiled and waved off their thanks. “More importantly, Sebas… We’re traveling together and all, so you needn’t be so stiff. The only reason a hierarchy exists is because of the jobs that we were given by the Supreme Beings. Really, there’s no gap between us.”

“Understood, Shalltear.” Sebas nodded to her. “I’ll take the liberty of being informal with you.”

The carriage rattled as it came to a sudden stop.

A moment later and a loud knocking on the door was followed by a voice. “Knock, knock, girly! Why don’t you step outside? We want to play with you!”

The words were followed by the laughter of many men.

“I do believe it’s my turn to act.” Shalltear’s smile looked sweet at first glance, but barely hid the violence that she was eager to unleash.

Outside of the carriage, just over a dozen men stood, all of them armed and some wore pieces of armor or helmets as well. The one thing they all had in common was their rough looks and the greed in their eyes. Near the back of the group, Zach eagerly waited for his turn with the beautiful Lady that had made his last few days so difficult with her whims.

When the door to the carriage opened, Zach’s gaze shifted from eager to confused.

Shalltear stood in the now open doorway, the light from inside the carriage illuminating her form. Her red and black gown perfectly accentuated her figure, showing off her trim waist and her large bosom. Her long silver hair glowed in the light and her red eyes gazed with amusement at the humans before her.

“Oooh~”

“That’s what I’m talking about!”

“Yeaaaah!”

“Woohoohoo!”

The vulgar remarks of the bandits only served to further amuse Shalltear. She knew that she was beautiful, Lord Peroroncino had created her to be so, but to see these men so quickly turn into horny mutts just at the sight of her nearly made her laugh.

‘Who is she? No one told me that there was someone else in the carriage.’ Zach thought to himself, wondering just who this new young woman was.

“Thank you all for gathering here for me. And may I ask who is in charge here? I’d like to do some negotiating. Is it you?” Shalltear spoke softly, like a proper Lady, her red eyes instantly zeroing in on the large, scarred man that clearly held authority over the rest of these men.

“Hmm? Negotiating?” The barrel chested man chuckled at the young woman. It wasn’t the first time their prey had tried to talk their way out. They never listened though.

Shalltear giggled lowly for but a second. “Forgive me. That was just a little joke to gain some information from you.” Now that she knew which man was in charge, she knew exactly who had the most information to extract.

“It’s not your lucky night, sweetheart.” The bandit closest to Shalltear gave her a lecherous smirk. “Just go along with it and we won’t take your life, okay?” He took two steps forward, reaching for Shalltear’s tits. “You’ve got a hell of a pair for such a young Lady!”

A second later and the hand hit the ground.

“As if I would let you defile me with your dirty hands.” Shalltear mocked, her smile never leaving her face.

The bandit looked at the stump of his wrist uncomprehendingly for a few seconds. “Oh Gods, what the hell happened to my hand?!” The man wailed as blood gushed out of the wound.

“You’re making far too much racket.” Shalltear swiped her hand through the air faster than most of the men could see.

The screaming bandit went silent as his head fell from his neck and hit the ground behind his still standing body.

A moment later and the body collapsed, only for the blood from the dead bandit to start rising into the air above Shalltear’s head, forming a sphere.

Shalltear hopped off the carriage and landed daintily on her feet just beyond the, now exsanguinated, corpse.

The stunned shock of the other bandits finally broke as they all saw the blood manipulation right before their eyes. “A M-Magic Caster!” The leader yelled as he raised his sword to fight. Around him, all of the other bandits readied their weapons.

“Really?” Shalltear looked letdown at the man’s words. “So, you just call anything that you don’t understand ‘Magic’, huh?” That meant their wasn’t a skilled Magic user amongst these bandits. “Well…this is boring. Do me a favor, clean up the rest of them. But leave that one,” She pointed at the leader. “Alive, for now.”

Her two Vampire Brides emerged from the carriage and in a blur of their white dresses, set upon the men.

The screams of the bandits rang out through the night as the slaughter began.

One bandit tried to swing his sword, only for the Vampire Bride to catch his wrist and rip his arm from his body. The bandit screamed as he watched his severed arm be tossed away, the blood in the limb quickly drained and joining the bloody sphere above Shalltear’s head. He saw nothing else as his head was crushed by the powerful, clawed hands of the Vampire Bride.

Another bandit’s legs were both shattered at the knees, bits of bone clearly poking out through his mangled flesh. His screams were silenced as the Vampire Bride stomped on his head, crushing his skull like a hammer striking a melon.

Behind the bloodbath that was taking place, Zach stood in petrified terror. He watched as his comrades died one after another. One man’s breastplate was torn off, only for a clawed hand to tear open his stomach and pull out his guts. The fact that the man was still alive (indicated by his loud wailing) only made the sight more horrifying. A second man’s head fell to the ground, his decapitation so fast and clean that blood only started to spray from his severed neck when the body hit the ground. Another man screamed, only to have his throat crushed by the powerful jaws of one of the Vampire Brides. The vampire quickly drained the bandit dry as his flesh shriveled up like a dried fruit.

“Mr. Zach…” Solution called out to the man from behind. “This way.”

Zach turned to look at the young woman, the naïve Lady that didn’t seem to know how the world worked. Questions rapidly formed in Zach’s mind, one after another, but they became jumbles as more screams of fear and cries for help filled the air. “Are you going to save me?” Was the question that made it past Zach’s lips.

“No. But we can at least enjoy ourselves until the end.” Solution took Zach’s hand and dragged him into the edge of the woods, out of sight of the massacre.

“Fun?” Zach wondered how anything fun could happen when they were only moments from being killed by those Monsters. But all other thoughts stopped when he saw Solution reach behind her and move her arms. “Wh-What are you doing?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Solution asked as she grinned at him, pulling down the top of her dress and revealing her breasts to Zach’s eyes.

Zach gulped, the sounds of his dying comrades fading from his ears, selective deafness setting in as he beheld the largest pair of tits that he’d ever seen in his life.

“Go on…” Solution urged the man, thrusting her chest out towards him.

“Y-Yes…” Zach’s mind was too muddled to really think of anything at this point. Solution was the most beautiful woman that he’d ever seen before, and he had never been allowed to ‘go first’ with the women the Death Spreading Brigade captured. With a lecherous grin, he placed his hands on Solution’s tits and began to squeeze them, feeling their softness and the coolness of the woman’s skin. The large breasts yielded to his touch, and for a second Zach would’ve sworn that his hands sunk into them entirely.

“Let’s begin.” Solution’s grin became wicked.

Zach blinked as the coolness he was feeling became constricting. “Huh?” He looked at his hands, only to see that they really had sunk into Solution’s tits! “Wh-What the hell is this?!”

“Now, now, Mr. Zach…don’t struggle too much.” Solution’s dark smile was a kind of terrifying that Zach had never experienced before. Like someone watching an experiment to see what would happen.

The softness from before had changed, now it felt like something had latched onto his hands and was dragging him forward. “Wait! Wait, wait, wait! Stop! Stop it!” Zach struggled, twisting this way and that to try and free his hands.

“Hahahaha!” Solution began to laugh at Zach’s futile struggles.

“Pl-Please! Help! Someone, help me!” Zach cried out, hoping anyone would save him. It never registered to the scummy man that he’d left his comrades to die, and they couldn’t help him even if they could’ve heard his cries. Zach tried to dig in his heels, but his wrists disappeared into the translucent mass that Solution’s breasts had become. “No! No, no, no! Stop it! Stop it!” His forearms disappeared even as he struggled and begged. “L-Lilia!” Zach cried out for the only person that he’d ever cared for in his life. His long lost younger sister. But his words were silenced as his face met Solution’s ‘skin’ and then his head disappeared inside.

“Ahahahaha!” Solution laughed as Zach’s legs flailed about as she drew him in more and more. Soon his waist was consumed, then his thighs, his knees, his shins, and finally his feet disappeared into her body. “Oh, it looks like they’re finished over there. I should hurry.” Solution noticed that the screams had gone silent. She pulled her dress back up and secured it properly to cover her breasts, knowing that Sebas didn’t approve of such things among the Pleiades.

“All finished, Solution?” Shalltear asked the Predator Slime with a smile as the leader of the bandit group was the only man left alive, surrounded by the corpses of his men and the stench of death and blood.

Solution smiled and bowed to Shalltear. “Thanks to your kind contribution, I’m able to enjoy a new experience, Lady Shalltear. Since Mr. Zach wished to be inside of me so badly, I think I’ll let him experience it for a full day.”

“My, my, how generous of you.” Shalltear eyed up Solution’s body, not able to see any changes. “You’ve got such an interesting body.” Solution only smiled at Shalltear for the compliment. Turning back to the leader, Shalltear only spoke two words. “Drain him.”

Her two Vampire Brides descended on the man like ravenous beasts. They each latched on to one side of his neck and drank greedily of his lifeblood. The bandit leader hadn’t even had a chance to cry out before he was dead.

But he didn’t get to stay dead for long.

“Get up.” Shalltear demanded of the corpse, her eyes glowing red.

The bandit’s body twitched as his skin lost color and became an unhealthy pale green. His ears became pointed and he groaned as he stood up. Once the former bandit was back on his feet, it was clear to all that he was no longer human. This was only further reinforced when he opened his eyes and revealed solid red with a slitted black pupil in each eye.

The bandit leader had become a Lesser Vampire.

“Do you have any among you that are skilled with Martial Arts?” Shalltear asked her new minion directly.

The Lesser Vampire nodded.

“Speak.” Shalltear ordered.

“Brain…Unglaus…boss…” The new vampire managed to get out and Shalltear was able to glean the rest from his mind as her red eyes gazed into the equally red eyes of the new undead.

“Brain Unglaus?” Sebas spoke up upon hearing the name. “I’ve heard of him. Supposedly he fought equally with Gazef Stronoff, the Chief Warrior of the Kingdom.”

“Hmm, then it sounds like we’ve found a perfect subject for Lord Ainz.” Shalltear was happy for that much.

Sebas nodded in agreement. “Indeed, it does.”

“I am ready to depart whenever you are, Master Sebas.” Solution said as she waited by the opened door to the carriage.

“I’m afraid that we must part ways here, Shalltear.” Sebas spoke up as he prepared to take up the coachman’s seat on the carriage. “Solution and I have a mission to gather information in the capitol of Re-Estize for Lord Ainz.”

“Very well, Sebas.” Shalltear nodded to the man with a small smile.

With a bow, Sebas climbed into the coachman’s seat and Solution entered the carriage, closing the door behind her. A moment later and the carriage was rolling away down the road.

“May we meet again in the Great Tomb of Nazarick.” Shalltear gave a slight bow to the carriage as it got further and further away. With sharp eyes she turned to the new Lesser Vampire. “You. Lead us to your camp.”

“Yes…master…” The Lesser Vampire was dull-witted, but Shalltear didn’t need him as anything more than a convenient guide to this ‘Brain Unglaus’ person.

-Bandit Hideout-

The base of the Death Spreading Brigade was little more than a cave that had been further dug out and fortified to give the defenders a much greater advantage, even against large numbers of enemies. Because the bandits had left the entrance in its natural state, however, it could go unnoticed during the day. At night, two guards were posted at all times to warn of incoming attacks.

“Is it just the one entrance?” Shalltear questioned the new Lesser Vampire.

The Lesser Vampire nodded, not using words unless ordered.

“Then there’s no reason for us to stay hidden. I’m just not very good at this ‘stealth’ business.” Shalltear grinned and palmed the Lesser Vampire’s head with her dainty hand. “You’re going to do the very important job of leading the charge. Now…” She lifted the Lesser Vampire into the are and wound up her arm. “…go!” She threw the new undead forward like a missile, it’s form moving through the darkness of the night so fast that neither of the bandit guards could’ve hoped to see it coming.

SPLAT

The guard on the right-hand side of the cave entrance nearly exploded into blood and gore from the impact. Both his remains, along with the Lesser Vampire’s, painted the stone beside the entrance in a macabre splatter.

“Strike!” Shalltear grinned, placing her left hand on her right bicep with a wicked smile.

“Splendid, Lady Shalltear!” The two Vampire Brides chorused, clapping for Shalltear’s throw.

The remaining guard shook himself from his stunned stupor and yelled out a warning. “ATTACK!!! We’re under at-!”

SPLAT

His warning was cut off as a stone blew his head apart in a gory shower of blood, bone, and brain matter.

“Strike two!” Shalltear grinned widely, before looking confused. “That is what you say, right?” Her blessed creator hadn’t given her much knowledge on sports or other such physical games. Putting her thoughts aside, Shalltear moved on. “Now then…let’s go.” She looked at her two Vampire Brides. “You, stay out here and watch for anyone running away.” She ordered the short-haired vampire woman. “You, lead the way, alert me if you find anyone strong.” She pointed at the long-haired Vampire Bride.

With their orders given the group of three split into two.

-Bandit Hideout ~ Interior-

“GYAAAAHHH!!!”

“Help me!”

“Augh!”

“Guaaah…”

Bandits died one after another, their blood splattering the rock walls and floor of the cave.

That blood then flew from where it splattered and into the swirling orb of blood above Shalltear’s head. “Hmm… I can’t seem to get a good pool going.” Shalltear commented, noticing that the sphere of blood wasn’t gaining much power or volume even as her Vampire Bride slaughtered these vermin.

Further in the cave, a well-muscled man with blue hair, wearing a black shirt and tan pants, with boots on his feet, looked up from where he was checking over his sword. “Hmm? What’s got them making so much noise?”

“Brain!” A bandit in a mix of leather and metal armor burst through the curtain acting as the door for the room. “We’re under attack! There are two enemies, both women!”

“Two women?” Brain Unglaus looked thoughtful for a moment. “Blue Roses? Nah, they wouldn’t come to dispatch mere bandits.” He tossed that thought aside easily. Why would an Adamantite-ranked Adventurer Party take a Quest that would normally fall to Iron or Silver-ranked Adventurers? Brain sheathed his sword, a katana that he’d come into possession of years ago, and smirked at the panicked bandit. “You don’t have to come along. Hang back and fortify the rear or something.” He confidently strode out of his room, barely paying attention to the ‘Yes, boss!’ from the other man.

-Shalltear-

The Vampire Bride tossed another corpse aside, its blood quickly drained into the sphere above Shalltear’s head. The pair continued walking deeper into the cave, but Shalltear’s sharp eyes noticed someone approaching them.

“It looks like you’re having fun.” Brain greeted the two women. His eyes saw the swirling orb of blood hovering in the air. “So, you’re Magic Casters, huh?”

“Yes, a Divine Caster.” Shalltear gave him an amused grin. The blood orb had nothing to do with her Magic, but if they were too ignorant to tell the difference, she wasn’t going to waste her time.

Brain placed his hand on the handle of his sword. “Whatever…. I’m ready whenever you are.”

Shalltear placed her right hand on her cheek, just barely letting her fingertips touch her silky skin. “Are you quite sure that you’re alright fighting alone? You could gather all of your remaining men. You might have a chance then.” Left unsaid was that Shalltear only meant that they’d have a chance of killing her Vampire Bride.

“That bunch of weaklings won’t be able to lay a hand on either of you anyhow, right?” Brain almost scoffed at the idea that he needed help from the others. “I’ll be fine on my own.”

“Go.” Shalltear sighed and her Vampire Bride rushed forward.

“Yaah!” Brain used a quickdraw technique to land a slash across the Vampire Bride’s chest.

“Guh!” The Vampire Bride hissed and retreated a few steps backwards.

Brain narrowed his eyes at the woman still standing. “Not deep enough?”

The wound on the Vampire Bride healed rapidly and Brain realized the situation.

“I see, vampires, huh?” Brain still didn’t lose his confident smirk. “Regeneration, rapid healing, bewitching eyes, creating lesser kin through blood sucking, absorbing lifeforce, resistance to weapons, and resistance to chill? I think there might’ve been more…well, whatever.” He readied his sword again.

“Move.” Shalltear placed her left hand on the Vampire Bride’s side and gave her a push.

“Gah!” The Vampire Bride slammed into the wall and nearly fell to the floor.

‘Much stronger than the other vampire.’ Brain narrowed his eyes. ‘Could she be one of those legendary Vampire Lords? I think there was one called Nation Breaker in the past that destroyed a country?’ Deciding to give this opponent some respect, Brain gave her a warrior’s introduction. “I’m Brain Unglaus.”

Shalltear only smiled slightly at confirming this man was her target.

Brain waited for several seconds before his face went flat. “…And your name is?”

“Oh!” Shalltear perked up in understanding. “You wanted to know my name.” She tilted her head to the side cutely. “This is more of Cocytus’s thing; he would’ve understood instantly.” Shalltear took hold of her gown and lifted it slightly, performing a proper curtsy with all of the grace of a noble woman. “I am Shalltear Bloodfallen. I hope you’ll entertain me before you perish.”

‘Typical Monster. Thinks that she’s invincible.’ To Brain’s eyes a light red circle appeared around him as he used the [Field] Martial Art. ‘I’ll wipe that smug look off your face.’

Shalltear only looked amused. “Are you almost ready?” Not waiting for a response, she took her first step forward while Brain sheathed his sword and prepared for another quickdraw.

‘With [Field] I’m aware of everything within a three-meter radius. The instant that she enters my range, I’ll use my [God Flash] Martial Art.’ Brain readied himself, pouring all of his focus into unleashing his self-created technique.

Shalltear’s right foot crossed the threshold of his [Perception Field].

“Hidden Technique: [Whistling Wind]!” Brain’s sword would be unseen to most eyes. To trained eyes it would only be a flash of silver. ‘Your head is mine!’ He saw the edge of his blade about to slice through Shalltear’s neck, the vampire’s expression unchanging, probably not even seeing the attack.

Ting

The blade stopped dead.

Brain felt the jarring shock travel up his arms from the dead stop of all the force he’d swung with. But he barely registered the tingling sensation as his eyes widened in shock.

Shalltear had stopped his sword with one hand.

No, not even one hand. She’d stopped it with two fingers!

Brain had heard the old stories of master swordsmen that were able to catch a blade without injury. But Shalltear hadn’t even caught his blade with her palm, or even from the blade edge! All of his strength and force had been stopped by only two of Shalltear’s fingers grabbing his blade from behind!

“That… That can’t be…” Brain couldn’t believe this. His ultimate technique had been stopped and Shalltear’s expression hadn’t even changed!

“Hmm, a katana?” Shalltear looked at the blade. “Cocytus has a few of these, but when wielded by a weakling, I can’t bring myself to be wary.” She let go of Brain’s blade without a care.

“You Monster…” Brain uttered out as he took a single step back.

Shalltear’s smile widened a little, revealing her two fangs. “Do you understand now? I’m a merciless, cruel, inhuman…and lovely…Monster.” She giggled at the panic she saw on Brain’s face.

“Yaah!” Brain unleashed a flurry of attacks at Shalltear, putting all of his speed and Martial Arts to use.

Shalltear merely blocked his blade with the nail of her left pinky finger each time. After almost a dozen strikes, Shalltear actually yawned while knocking away another slash.

‘Should I run?’ Brain wondered as he reset himself. ‘Then this should work!’ He swung low, looking to cut off Shalltear’s foot to try and slow her down so that he could escape. “Huh?”

Shalltear’s shoe was stomping on the blade of his sword…but he’d never even seen her foot move!

“Maybe you should try using some Martial Arts?” Shalltear suggested, looking utterly bored.

‘I’ve been using them this whole time…’ Brain thought as he started to understand the vast gulf between himself and the Monster before him.

Shalltear raised a delicate eyebrow. “Could it be…? Are you just not very strong?”

Those words hit Brain like a shot to the heart.

“My apologies.” Shalltear rested her palm against her cheek. “You could say that I measure strength in meters. So, I can’t tell the difference in only a millimeter or two.”

Brain’s entire body trembled against his wishes. His breaths came in heavy gasps as the situation he was in closed in around his mind.

“Oh? Are you already tired?” Shalltear asked with faux concern. “I thought you’d have more stamina than that.” The teasing lilt in her voice made it obvious she meant ‘stamina’ in more than one way. Emasculation was just another unkindness that Shalltear could inflict upon Brain.

“I put in…so much effort…” Brain mumbled, seeing all of his hard work amount to nothing before this vampire.

“Effort? That word is meaningless.” Shalltear told him with utter surety. “I was crated strong. I never had to strive for strength.” Brain’s eyes widened upon hearing that.

“I’m such an idiot…” Brain uttered out, feeling tears building up in the corners of his eyes as his worldview was shattered.

“Are you satisfied?” Shalltear had a wicked little smirk on her lips now. “If so, I think we can finish this up now.”

Brain turned and fled without a thought.

“Oh?” Shalltear smiled predatorily. “Are we playing Tag now?”

-Rear Cavern-

“Do you think it’s over?” One bandit asked another behind the barricade they’d made to fortify their defenses.

“There’s no way that Brain can lose.” The other bandit replied.

Brain came running down the corridor at a full sprint.

“Brain?”

“Did you win?”

Brain didn’t even acknowledge the other men. He ran past them all and disappeared into the storage room at the back of the cavern.

“What the hell?” A bandit blinked in confusion.

“…good evening.” Shalltear spoke up a moment later as she entered the cavern, her hair in front of her face and her red eyes practically glowing. “My name is Shalltear Bloodfallen. Is this the end of the line? Are we done playing tag?” Her eyes darted around, but she didn’t see Brain among the men. “So… IT’S HIDE AND SEEK NOW, IS IT?!” She snarled and the sphere of blood above her head dropped onto her, bathing her in the crimson liquid, activating her Racial Skill [Blood Frenzy]. Shalltear’s form was enveloped in black and crimson mist as her body transformed, revealing the innate transformation of True Vampires from YGGDRASIL, a hideous half-bat half-human monstrosity with jaws similar to a lamprey’s.

“FIRE!!!”

A dozen crossbow bolts slammed into Shalltear’s chest.

“Kekeke…” Shalltear’s monstrous form cackled as the bolts fell to the stone floor, not even close to piercing her skin. In a blur she was behind the barricade with one of the bandits’ head in her right hand.

“Fuck!”

“Kill it!”

“Monster!”

Shalltear could only cackled loudly as she threw some fresh blood into the air from the severed head in her hand, splattering it across the bandits. “Penetrate Magic: Implosion!” She cast a spell that was modified to get past all armor, whether it was normal or magical.

“Gaaaah!”

“Urrrgh!”

The bandits all writhed in agony for a moment, struggling against some unseen force. Then they all exploded as if they’d been squeezed too hard by a massive hand until they burst. The blood splattered all over Shalltear’s monstrous form as she cackled.

“Main Course~!” Shalltear called out as she tore off the curtain that separated the storeroom from the large cavern. Her hazy, red vision looked around, but still saw no trace of Brain. “What?!” She screeched loudly. “Where are you?!” She tore through dozens of crates and finally found a hole that had been tunnel through the rock of the cave. “A tunnel? He’s escaped?!”

“Lady Shalltear!” The Vampire Bride that had been left outside to keep watch appeared in the doorway.

“What?!” Shalltear snapped out, higher thinking becoming difficult due to her [Blood Frenzy].

“There is a group of humans approaching, my Lady.” The Vampire Bride informed with a bow.

Shalltear’s distorted form licked around its fang-filled mouth with an unnaturally long tongue. In an instant she was bolting back down the corridor of the long cave. She stopped at the entrance and saw a group of six Adventurers before her. “Fresh meat?” Shalltear cackled at the Adventurers, practically able to taste their fear.

“As I thought! A vampire!” The Magic Caster in the rear called out loudly. “Imbue your blades with silver!” The three warrior Adventurers held out their blades to a red-haired woman who quickly coated them with alchemical silver from a bottle that she pulled from the pouch on her hip. “Don’t look into its eyes! We must fight to escape!”

“I know I have to capture them… But I want to kill them…” Shalltear was nearly panting in ravenous bloodlust. “I WANT TO RIP THEM LIMB FROM LIMB AND BATHE IN THEIR BLOOD!!!” She shrieked loudly.

In a blur she was upon the Adventurers. The first man’s shield was torn off his arm, the leather snapping like it was mere string. Before he could even scream, Shalltear’s clawed hands and torn out his still beating heart. The Adventurer saw as Shalltear devoured his heart before he died. The other two Adventurers with shields could only scream as Shalltear turned her glowing red gaze on them.

Splat

Splat

Their heads were crushed in showers of blood and brain matter.

Shalltear cackled in delight at being covered by even more fresh blood. She leapt over the red-haired woman and tore out the guts of the Magic Caster before he could cast his first spell. The Cleric was dead before he realized that Shalltear had moved, his throat torn open and a geyser of blood erupting from his barely there neck.

A sword hit Shalltear’s back.

“No way… It didn’t work?! This is a silver weapon!” Brita exclaimed in shock as Shalltear turned to face her.

“Aren’t you precious?” Shalltear purred darkly. “Okay then… Time for dessert~!”

Brita dropped her sword in terror, tears stinging her eyes as her fear made her panic and the certainty of death engulfed her. She frantically dug around in her pouch and withdrew something.

“Hm?” Shalltear’s vision, even covered in a red haze from [Blood Frenzy] recognized what Brita was holding.

Brita tossed the potion at the vampire, vaguely recalling in her panic that healing potions actually hurt the undead.

“Ngh…” Shalltear grimaced as the red liquid of the YGGDRASIL potion splashed on her as the glass broke. Her skin hissed and steamed for a second before it healed instantly. “That was…”

Brita was already running for her life. There were no thoughts in her head. Only a primal fear and the desire to escape.

“This is from Nazarick…” Shalltear looked down at the shattered bottle. “CAPTURE THAT WOMAN UNHARMED!!!”

“Yes, my Lady!” Both Vampire Brides rushed after Brita, easily overtaking the woman and grabbing onto her. They dragged the near sobbing woman back to Shalltear with ease.

Shalltear, now out of her [Blood Frenzy], had returned to her normal, supernaturally beautiful looks. She looked down at the captured Brita and saw the woman flinch away in terror. Shalltear gently rested her hand against Brita’s cheek, her cooler temperature soothing against the woman’s hot skin. Shalltear trailed her hand down and gently took Brita’s chin between her fingers, forcing the other woman to look at her. “Look into my eyes.”

Brita, not having a choice, looked into the slightly glowing red eyes and felt her mind go hazy.

“That potion, where did you get it?” Shalltear asked directly.

“A received it from a man in black armor at an inn in E-Rantel.” Brita answered calmly, her mind not her own right now.

‘Lord Momonga gave her a potion? Does that mean he has plans for this woman?! Did I ruin one of Lord Momonga’s plans?!’ Shalltear was nearly panicking now, worried that she’d messed up one of her Master’s many plans. “Shit! No, no, no… I messed up!” She grabbed her head with her hands. “Why’d you come here? What’s your goal?!” Shalltear demanded of Brita.

“We heard that some bandits had been causing trouble in this area, so we came to investigate. Since we didn’t know how many bandits there were, we split our Party into two.”

“Split into two?” Shalltear tilted Brita’s chin upward with one finger, looking into the hazy eyes of the woman under her mind control.

“Yes. A Ranger was stationed in the forest and would return to E-Rantel if anything happened to us, to prepare a larger suppression force.” Brita informed Shalltear plainly.

“So the reason that Caster was shouting so loudly before was to alert the Ranger.” Shalltear easily understood now. “My kin!” Her shadow wavered unnaturally and multiple shadowy wolves with glowing red eyes emerged. These were Vampire Wolves, creatures that Shalltear could summon and control as a True Vampire. “Devour any human in this forest!”

“Grraaawwrrr!” The pack of wolves growled before dashing off in the direction they smelled human scents.

Shalltear remembered that she was instructed by Momonga not to cause a scene that could potentially draw attention to Nazarick. She worried her lip for a moment, wondering how to salvage this situation. “No, no, it’s okay. I’m still fine. I can fix this.” Shalltear looked at the still Charmed form of Brita. “But what to do about you?” She wasn’t sure how to handle this situation. ‘Lord Ainz gave her a potion. That must mean something, right? If he has plans for this woman, then I can’t just let her leave without knowing if I’ve ruined them.’

That’s when an idea came to her.

“You’re going to go to sleep now.” Shalltear leaned in and smiled at Brita, kissing the other woman’s cheek as she cast [Sleep] on her. Brita slumped over as she fell into the bespelled slumber. “You.” She pointed to one of her Vampire Brides. “Take this woman to Nazarick and inform them that she was given a potion by Lord Momonga. I don’t know what his plans for her are, but she’s not to be harmed unless by Lord Momonga’s order. Now go!”

“Yes, Lady Shalltear.” The long-haired Vampire Bride gently picked Brita up and was a white blur disappearing into the night a second later.

“Huh?” Shalltear’s head whipped around as she felt the disappearance of her Vampire Wolves. “My kin were killed?” The frustration and rage of this whole situation finally boiled over and Shalltear went into her [Blood Frenzy] again, warping her body into the grotesque form once more. She took off through the woods on all fours, speeding through the dark forest in the direction that she’d last sensed her wolves.

What the enraged Shalltear came upon was a fairly large group of humans. All of them seemed much stronger than the trash that she, Sebas, and Solution had encountered on their shared assignment, so far. Her nearly feral instincts in her [Blood Frenzy] told her that the long-haired man in plate armor and wielding a spear was probably stronger than Solution.

‘If I capture them… We could get a lot of information… Lord Momonga will praise me…’ The disjointed thought came together and Shalltear attacked.

“Do it!” The long-haired man called out as he rushed forward to hold off Shalltear.

An old woman near the back began to move, holding her arms out in front of her and the regal white robe with a golden dragon design on it that she wore began to glow.

Shalltear’s vision suddenly went blurry and her blood red eyes widened. ‘No… I’m supposed to have complete immunity to mind control!’ No knowing how dangerous the old woman was, Shalltear focused her efforts on killing her specifically. “Out of my way!” She swiped her clawed hand at the spearman.

“Gnnh!” The man blocked with the shaft of his spear, but was still sent skidding away from the power behind the blow.

The golden dragon on the old woman’s robe glowed brightly and leapt from the cloth. A white light engulfed Shalltear and her frenzied eyes widened in rage and confusion. “GRAAAHHH!!!” Shalltear formed a blue-white lance of brilliance and threw it with all her might straight at the old woman. A large man bearing a tower shield and a second shield strapped to his right arm moved between the divine projectile and the old woman.

It didn’t even slow the attack in the slightest.

The lance of radiant light pierced straight through the shield bearer and the old woman before any of the other humans could even react. The man hacked out a tone of blood, a large section of his torso now missing. The old woman also had a considerable hole through her chest and out her back as blood spilled from her mouth and she fell to the ground.

The next thing Shalltear knew was only a white void as her [Blood Frenzy] was forcibly ended. She didn’t even react when the panic yelling of the various humans rang out through the night.

“Lady Kyrie!”

“Heal her! Now!”

“It’s not working!”

“We need to get her back! She’s not going to make it!”

-Inn ~ E-Rantel-

Momon pushed open the doors to the inn where he and Nabe had stayed earlier. The inn went silent, and countless eyes focused themselves on the warrior in the black knight armor. This time, nobody attempted to obstruct him as he and Nabe approached the innkeeper.

“You…” The eyes of the innkeeper and all of the inn’s patrons were drawn to the new metal plate around Momon’s neck.

In a casual tone which sounded like he was smiling, Momon spoke. “A double room.” After putting down the silver piece, he took the keys from the speechless innkeeper.

The reason why the inn had gone silent was because of his new plate. A man who had been a Copper plate Adventurer several days ago had now risen quickly through the ranks when they all saw him again. This was beyond their ability to comprehend.

Their stunned reaction filled Momon with a sense of superiority, as well as dissatisfaction. Honestly, he had been hoping to be promoted all the way to Orichalcum rank, but he had only managed the rank before that, Mithril. What would these people have done if he had really obtained an Orichalcum plate?

Still, this was not an entirely impossible feat.

However, when he narrated the events to the Guild Leader, Momon’s accomplishments were truly unbelievable. Though he could have been elevated to Adamantite rank right away, that had not happened because neither Momon nor Nabe had any prior accomplishments and the investigations into the matter with the Cult of Zurrernorn were not complete. Therefore, the Guild had decided to be prudent about this.

In other words, the Guild already thought of Momon and Nabe as equals to the two Adamantite-ranked Adventurer Parties in the Kingdom.

In addition, as time went by, the story of the battle in the graveyard, as well as the great name of Momon would certainly spread beyond just E-Rantel. This was assured, as nothing so amazing could possibly be kept a secret. The guards talked, the other Adventurers talked, and the commoners and merchants talked even more.

The plan had gone so smoothly that Momon could not help but smile beneath his helmet. In fact, it had not just gone smoothly; it had gone perfectly.

Momon cast the [Message] spell and contacted Albedo.

He had received a [Message] from Entoma earlier, but since he was not free to talk while dealing with the Guild, Momon had been forced to put it off for a time. Once the [Message] connected to Albedo, the first thing she said completely stunned him.

[“Lord Momonga, Shalltear Bloodfallen has rebelled against us.”]

For a moment, Momonga couldn’t comprehend those words. After they slowly filtered into his mind, his only reaction was a confused utterance. “…Huh?”

-End Chapter-

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So…yeah.

Clementine is still not having a good time in Nazarick. Every day in the arena is another injury, another horror, and another agony inflicted upon her. But she does get time to herself, to rest and recuperate in comfort.

The dichotomy of the two states of her imprisonment are certainly throwing Clementine for a loop.

And now she’s reading ‘The Hobbit’ because Momonga has had works from his world translated into the New World’s writing and made into a few books.

Perhaps that’s also part of a future plan or endeavor?

Sebas, Solution, and Shalltear have been mostly successful in their tasks for Momonga…up until now.

Sebas has made a wealthy and influential connection in E-Rantel, through Bardo Lauffray, for Nazarick’s future.

Solution plays her role well as a spoiled noble Lady.

And she even got to dissolve Zach as a reward! Yay?

But Shalltear has now encountered problems on her task. Finding the bandits and meeting Brain was easy enough…but then things started going south when she let her overconfidence take hold (along with her Blood Frenzy).

Brita returns to the story!

But there’s another deviation from Canon!

Shalltear has Brita taken to Nazarick to keep her safe, since she has no idea why Momonga gave her an YGGDRASIL potion! How will THAT play out?

But, just like Canon, Shalltear has been mind controlled! Oh no!

Unlike Canon, however, a certain former Black Scripture member isn’t dead, and she knows ALL sorts of information that will quite quickly make the culprit of Shalltear’s brainwashing clear.

Everyone remembers what Momonga said to the Slane Theocracy soldiers when they were attacking Carne village, right?

Something, something “I will bring DEATH to your entire country!”

How will things play out from here?

Keep reading to find out!

Until I get your reviews, later!